2019 keynote

MATT ORLANDOCHEF

AMASS RESTAURANTCopenhagen, Denmark

Matt Orlando was born February 7, 1977 and raised in Encinitas, California. After working through the kitchens of San Diego, he decided to make the move to New York City, where he worked at Charlie Palmer’s Auerole for two years, before landing a position at Eric Ripert’s three-starred Michelin restaurant, Le Bernardin. After realizing his need to further refine his cooking skills, Matt moved to England to work both at Raymond Blanc’s two-starred Michelin restaurant, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons and Heston Blumenthal’s three-starred Michelin restaurant, The Fat Duck.

It was while working at The Fat Duck that Matt met René Redzepi, owner and head chef of Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark. This chance meeting led to a two-year Sous Chef position at Noma, before Matt returned to New York City to take a Sous Chef position at Thomas Keller’s three-starred Michelin restaurant, Per Se. After three years at Per Se, René asked Matt to return to take the reigns as Noma’s first Chef de Cuisine.

After working at Noma for two-and-a-half years, Matt felt the time was right to build his dream project. In July 2013, he opened Amass on the waterfront of the former industrial area of Refshaleøen, Copenhagen. A restaurant that has come to prove that modern gastronomy and hospitality can go hand in hand with sustainability. As a testament to this ethos, Matt also proceeded to get his restaurant organically certified in 2016, ensuring 90 - 100% of the food and beverages served at Amass are organic and free of pesticides. Matt seeks inspiration in the by-products his kitchen produces; creating unique and exciting flavors, whilst drastically reducing the restaurant’s carbon footprint and always with deliciousness as the driving force behind his work.